(1) GENERAL.

(a) An initial educator license may be issued to an individual who meets the requirements of this chapter, including the completion of an approved program with institutional endorsement or as demonstrated by a state superintendent approved assessment program under sub. (6) that meets the standards under subchapter II.

(b) The initial educator license shall be issued for a period of 5 years and is a non-renewable license unless the individual has not been employed as an educator for at least 2 years within the 5-year period.

(c) A one-year nonrenewable initial educator license may be issued to an applicant who meets the license requirements under this chapter but who has not completed the requirements under sub. (4).

(d) The initial educator license stage shall be required one time for licenses under each of subchapters VII, VIII, and IX.

(2) SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

(a) The initial educator shall receive ongoing orientation from the employing school district which is collaboratively developed and delivered by school boards, administrators, teachers, support staff and parents.

(b) The initial educator shall be provided support seminars by the employing school district which reflect the standards in subchapter II and the mission and goals of the school district.

(c) The initial educator shall be provided with a qualified mentor by the employing school district. The mentoring period may be for less than 5 years.

(3) INITIAL EDUCATOR TEAM.

A team of individuals shall be convened at the discretion of the initial educator and shall be responsible for review and approval of the initial educator professional development goals. Teams for review shall be constituted as follows:

(a) For classroom teachers, the team shall include a teacher of the same subject or at the same level who is not the mentor and who is selected by teacher peers, an administrator designated by the district administrator subject to approval by the school board and an IHE representative.

(b) For pupil services educators, the team shall include a pupil services professional in the same license category who is not the mentor and who is selected by peers, an administrator designated by the district administrator subject to approval by the school board and an IHE representative.

(c) For administrators, the team shall include an administrator in the same license category who is not the mentor and who is selected by peers, an administrator designated by the district administrator subject to approval by the school board and an IHE representative.

(d) Participation in the teams required under sub. (3) (a) to (c) by institution representatives may be used to meet the requirement in s. PI 34.11 (2) (d).

(e) Nothing in this subsection shall limit the school board and the labor organization, where one exists, which represents licensed staff, and other licensed staff, from designing a district-wide agreement in lieu of meeting the specific requirements of paragraphs (a) to (c). The agreement shall be submitted to the state superintendent for approval.

(4) ADVANCEMENT.

(a) To move to the professional educator level, an initial educator shall design and complete a professional development plan that demonstrates increased proficiency and which reflects the standards in subchapter II that have been identified by the team in sub. (3) for improvement. The plan shall include:

1. Identified activities and objectives related to professional development goals, school or school district goals or performance goals identified by the educator.
2. A timeline for achieving the professional development goals.
3. Evidence of collaboration with professional peers and others.
4. An assessment plan that specifies indicators of growth.

(b) Successful completion of the professional development plan shall be documented. The documentation may include but is not limited to evidence of whole group and individual student performance as measured by state, local, formal and informal assessments; lesson plans; supervisor and mentor comments of classroom performance; journals documenting samples of pupil errors and analysis of teacher interpretations of errors; ongoing documentation of classroom management techniques and results; and curriculum adaptations for children with disabilities or other exceptionalities with related outcome measures. The documentation portfolio may also include evidence that identifies professional development activities related to the professional development goals. The evidence may be in the form of samples of pupil work, letters of recommendation; evidence of attending professional meetings, workshops, conferences or seminars; administrative or supervisory evaluations; peer evaluations; journals, diaries or published articles; action research projects and results; college, university or technical college course work; or evidence of in-district work assignments outside of the classroom.

(c) Nothing in this subsection shall limit the school board and the labor organization, where one exists, which represents licensed staff, and other licensed staff, from designing a district-wide agreement in lieu of meeting the specific requirements of paragraphs (a) to (b). The agreement shall be submitted to the state superintendent for approval.

(d) Successful completion of the initial educator stage shall be measured at the initiation of the initial educator no sooner than 3 years but no later than 5 years after the license is granted. A majority of the three-member panel described in sub. (3) shall verify successful completion of the professional development plan. Appeals of decisions made by the 3-member team may be made as follows:

For teachers and pupil services professionals, appeals shall be made to the state superintendent. The professional standards council may establish procedures to hear appeals referred. If the professional standards council agrees to hear an appeal, it shall, upon completion of its deliberations, make a recommendation to the state superintendent. The state superintendent shall issue a decision concerning the appeal.

For administrators and individuals who wish to contest decisions under subd. 1., appeals shall be made to the state superintendent as prescribed under s. PI 34.35 (8).

(5) OUT OF STATE APPLICANTS.

An initial educator license may be issued to an applicant who completes an approved program from out of state, who has fewer than 5 years of successful teaching experience, and who has met the competency test requirements under s. PI 34.15 (2) (a) 3. a. The applicant shall provide evidence that the requirements under s. PI 34.15 (4) have been met before qualifying for a professional educator license.

(6) LICENSE BASED ON EQUIVALENCY.

(a) An initial educator license may be issued to an applicant who has not completed an approved program, if the applicant has obtained a statement from an institution that the applicant has completed the equivalent of that institution's approved program, and if the applicant meets all of the requirements of this chapter.

(b) An initial educator license may be issued to an applicant who completes department approved standards-based training and assessments for the license. The assessment requirement shall include receiving a passing score on a standardized examination approved by the state superintendent in the area of licensure and in teaching knowledge. An initial license may also be issued to an applicant who has demonstrated competence through an assessment process, approved by the state superintendent, that meets the standards under subchapter II, including any standardized examinations prescribed by the state superintendent for licensure.

(c) An initial educator license may be issued to an applicant who has completed an alternative training program approved by the state superintendent that is provided by, but not limited to, a college or university, school, school district, CESA, consortia, technical college, private enterprise or agency. Each alternative training program shall be based on the standards under subchapter II and shall include assessment of candidate performance as measured against the standards, including any standardized examinations prescribed by the state superintendent for licensure.

(d) 1. The state superintendent shall insure that program providers under pars. (b) and (c) have adequate resources to support teaching by faculty and learning by students. The state superintendent shall insure that program providers under pars. (b) and (c) have sufficient budgetary resources to fulfill their mission and offer quality programs.

2. The program provider, in collaboration with the department, shall systematically evaluate and report to the public graduate performance in obtaining employment in Wisconsin schools or school districts as well as graduate performance in advancing from the initial to professional educator license and master educator license after the first 5 years of employment.

(7) LICENSE BASED ON EXPERIENCE.

An initial educator license may be issued to an applicant who presents evidence of having completed an approved program in another state except student teaching if the applicant verifies 3 or more years of successful teaching experience in the subject or grade level of preparation and if the applicant meets all of the applicable requirements of this chapter.